1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical waveguide device and a method for fabricating the optical waveguide device, and more particularly to an optical waveguide device having a structure capable of allowing the optical waveguide device to be easily connected with an optical fiber array connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to appropriately couple an optical fiber to an optical waveguide device, an active alignment method has conventionally been used. In accordance with a conventional active alignment method, an optical fiber is aligned with one end of an optical waveguide device. In this a beam emitted from a light source is incident to the other end of the optical waveguide device so that it passes through the optical fiber. A measurement is then conducted to measure the power of the light beam emerging from the optical fiber. Based on the result of the measurement, the alignment of the optical fiber with the optical waveguide device is adjusted. After completion of the alignment, the optical fiber is bonded to the optical waveguide device using epoxy.
In order to conduct the above mentioned method, in which an optical fiber is aligned with and then coupled to an optical waveguide device, however, it is necessary to use expensive equipment requiring a very high accuracy. Furthermore, a lengthy process time is required because of careful and difficult manual tasks required in the above mentioned alignment and coupling. In addition, there is a disadvantage in that it is difficult to separate the coupled optical fiber from the optical waveguide device because the optical fiber is bonded to the optical waveguide device using epoxy.
Additional examples of apparatus and methods for connecting or coupling optical fiber arrays and waveguides are seen in the following U.S. Patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,804, to Shimizu et al., entitled Waveguide-Type Optical Switch, describes a planar waveguide-type optical switch with three bases, the bases being aligned with each other using fitting pins passing through pin holes in the bases.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,593, to Lebby et al., entitled Optical/Electrical Connector And Method of Fabrication, describes an optical/electrical connector in which one package has ferrules engaged in holes in a base which joins with the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,820, to Welbourn et al., entitled Optical Hybrid Motherboard Interconnection System And Method Of Assembling Same, describes a hybrid optical motherboard in which metal pins in grooves of a submount of a connector are used to align the connector with another connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,267, to Yanagawa et al., entitled Optical Fiber/Terminal Connecting Device, describes an optical connecting device in which positioning pins inserted into positioning pin holes are used to align different optical connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,958, to Yanagawa et al., entitled Composite Optical Device, describes a composite optical device having two chips which are connected using guide pins inserted into guide pin fitting holes formed from V-grooves in opposing faces of two plates making up the chip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,662, to Boscher, entitled Multichannel Optical Connection Method for Optical Fibers, describes a multichannel optical connection process in which two assemblies are joined using pegs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,378, to Suzuki et al., entitled Method Of Production Of Optical Waveguide Module, describes an optical waveguide chip assembly in which positioning grooves and guide pins are used to align the modules of the assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,990, to Steijer et al., entitled Encapsulation Of Optoelectronic Components, describes an optoelectronic component with guide grooves and guide pins for connecting to another optocomponent.
However, these apparatus may suffer from problems associated with adhesive penetrating into the recesses where the alignment pins are inserted, leading to loss of accuracy of the alignment.